Cow-tail holder



I W. F. JOHNSON. c0'w TAIL HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED NOV-15,1919.

1,41 3,587 Pa en ed Apr! 25', 1922.

Qhoen tor Willa/W750 UrllElD eras wi t HN O 0 amme armers COW-TAIL HoLn n.-

To all 107mm it may concern: a

Be it known that I, W ILL F. JOHNSON, a citizen ofthe United States, residing atv Harvard, in the county ofClay and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cow-Tail Holders, of which the following is aspecification. The presentinveution relates to improvements in cow-tail holders devisedwith due consideration of the conditions of useand application of anarticlefiof, this character,

the object of.which is to provide means for preventing switching of milking, more especially.

1 am aware that many devices along this line have heretofore been proposed but these possess features more or less impractical because of a lack of appreciation of the, requirements looking towards'facility of attachment and detachment, or prevention of displacement by the animal accidentally or deliberately.

For example, the previous devices which embody an adjustable leg encircling memher to surround the leg just above the gambrel joint are usually applied when the anithe tail during 'mal is standing normally and, failing to conform to the shape of the leg, this member permits forward movement of the leg without ditliculty. resulting often in kicking over the milk pail or injury to the milker. Likewise the cow is able to kick or move its leg rearwardly, which causes a contraction of the-leg at the point of attachment and permits the encircling member to drop down over the adjacent oint. ()n the other hand by making this element of my device to conform exactly to the contour of the cows leg,that is providing a portion in its circumference fitting closely about the'gambrel V cord, both forward and rearward movements of the leg are precluded so that'my inven- Specification of L'e tte rs Ifa tent, P t t d r Application filed November' 15; 19. serial No. 338,271.

ble connection. between thetwocmain hold.-

' rATENTFFICBU ing elements so that. a certain amount of movement of vthe tail is absence of which the animal would naturally become restive as when the 'tail is held rigidly against movement,- as contemplated-by permitted in the certain of these, p1-'iort levice s, ai1d thisp'ar-' ticula'r feature of my invention tends maintain cleanliness of thedevice. Tliese and suclrotherobjectsas may hereinafter appear are attained 'by' the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter specifically described :a-nd' cl aimed. Reference willnowbe had to the accompanying drawing forming at part ofthis specification, wherein: i

F igure 1 is a top plan of a device constructed in. accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure t is a view showing the application of my invention in operative position.

Throughout the following detailed description and on the several figures of the drawings, like reference characters refer to similar parts.

Referring to .the drawing, my invention consists of the leg encircling member or band 1, the tail engaging clamp 2 and the intermediate flexible connection 3. The member 1 consists preferably of a light metallic strip, in order that theshape or c0nfiguration given thereto will retain its form, the material having of course a certain amount of resiliency. At one end theband is reduced or pressed together soas to form he cord receiving-seat 4: adapted-to snugly fit about the gambrel cord of the cows leg. The band 1 is an open one and at the end of one side is pivotally secured the fastener hook 5 which is adapted to engage in any one of the series of openings 6 provided in the other side of said band. The fastener referred to is of such a character that it may be very quickly slipped into place in the application of this member and much more quickly detached since it requires merely the.

lifting of the outer end of the hook to accomplish this end. When the band is applied to the leg of the cow it is adjusted to fit snugly and by reason of the fact that the band conforms substantially exactly "to the shape'of the leg forwardmovement of the leg is prevented because such forward movement causes an enlargement of the muscles of the leg at the point of attachment. Therefore the band will readily act as an anti-kicker as hereinbefore premised.

Passing now to the tail clamp, this is composed of the cooperating serrated or toothed jaws 7 and 8 normally held in closed position by thespring 9 and'having the finger piece extensions 10 for opening the jaws to permit. of engagement. The jaws are pivoted upon the pivot member 11 and that jaw designated 8, it will be observed in Figure 3, is substantially narrower than the other jaw so that it will seat within the latter, spacing washers 12 being provided upon the pivot 11 to hold the jaw in place. This arrangement of the jaw members permits the jaws to close upon the long hairs of the cows tail which hairs will extend between the contiguous sides of the jaws and afford an ei'licient gripping engagement which tends to preventing any likelihood of displacement of the clamp from attempts on the part of the cow to move its tail. The

fact that the clamp is connected to the leg band by the flexible chainconnection 3 permits of relative movement of the tail with respect to the leg.

A very efficient; simple article that may be cheaply manufactured is thus provided. Having thus vdescribed my inventiomwhat I claim as new is:

A cow tail holder comprising an open band formed of a single strip of. resilient material which is looped to completely encircle the leg and shaped to conform to the contour of the legabove the gambrel joint, said loop being elongated and having curved ends, one of the said curved ends being contracted to provide a-seat which fits snugly about the gambrel cord so that it will tend to interfere with the movements of the rimscles of the leg. incident to kicking, fastening means for tightly clamping the band upon the cows leg, and a tail engaging clamp operatively connected to the band.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

WILL F. JOHNSON. 

